Diagnosis
A healthcare professional or eye doctor will usually diagnose a subconjunctival hemorrhage by looking at the eye. No other tests are likely needed.
If you have subconjunctival hemorrhages often, the healthcare professional also may:
- Ask questions about your general health and symptoms.
- Do an eye exam.
- Take your blood pressure.
- Order blood tests for signs of a bleeding disorder.
Treatment
The blood will be absorbed within a few days to a few weeks. You'll likely need no treatment. You may want to use eye drops, such as artificial tears, to soothe any itchy feeling you may have.
Preparing for your appointment
In most cases, you will not need medical care for subconjunctival hemorrhage. If you are concerned about any eye symptoms related to the redness in your eye, you'll likely start by seeing your primary healthcare professional.
In some cases when you call to set up an appointment, you may be referred to an eye doctor, called an ophthalmologist.
Here's some information to help you get ready for your appointment.
What you can do
- List any symptoms you're experiencing, including any that seem unrelated to the reason you scheduled the appointment.
- List key personal information, including any major stresses or recent life changes.
- List all medicines, vitamins and supplements that you're taking, the doses and the reason for taking each one.
- List questions to ask your healthcare professional.
Preparing a list of questions for the appointment may help you make the most of your time. For a subconjunctival hemorrhage, some basic questions to ask include:
- What might have caused the bleeding?
- Is it likely to happen again?
- Do I need any tests?
- Are there any restrictions that I need to follow?
- Do I need to be referred to a specialist?
Don't hesitate to ask other questions during your appointment.
What to expect from your doctor
Your healthcare professional is likely to ask you a few questions, such as:
- When did you first notice the red patch in your eye?
- Have you had this happen before? If so, how often?
- Do you recall any injury to the eye?
